Francisco Lindor knew that the outside noise would only continue to get louder as the Mets’ losing streak dragged on. He knew — and said as much Sunday, after their skid stretched to 11 games — that they needed to stick together. And then Lindor delivered a major swing to help start quieting the frustration himself.
Lindor crushed a pitch from the Twins’ Simeon Woods Richardson into the second deck in right field at Citi Field, giving the Mets a 3-0 lead over Minnesota in the third inning with his second home run of the season.
Everything started in the third with a single from Mark Vientos, and after Carson Benge grounded into a fielder’s choice and Marcus Semien walked. That gave Lindor a chance to produce. He entered play Tuesday with just a .205 average, a .600 OPS and just a .091 average with runners in scoring position this season, but after working a full count, Lindor connected on a four-seam fastball.
It gave the fans at a mostly empty Citi Field something to celebrate. One donned a Grimace costume — a nod to the 2024 Mets. Others erupted in cheers. And it created a different scene than what would’ve happened if Lindor made out and the Mets stranded two just one frame after they couldn’t advance Bo Bichette from first base after he led off with a single.
Lindor needed a moment like that, too. His struggles at the plate — something that’d become normal for him early in recent seasons — had been accompanied by mental lapses in the field and on the bases.
Mets’ Francisco Lindor celebrates after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning. AP But then his swing on Tuesday took a step toward changing the trajectories for both him and the Mets.
